Panel gate and segment weirs



Jan. 8, 1963 F. Jalan/IAA PANEL GATE AND SEGMENT WEIRS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 16, 1960 '111111111111111 rllz rlllll llllllllllllllllllllll 1.111111111111111,

Jan. 8, F. JERM PANEL GATE AND SEGMENT WEIRS Filed Feb. 16, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Oiice 3,071,931 Patented Jan. 8, 1963 This invention relates to weirs and is more particularly concerned with panel gate and segment weirs. The gates of known panel gate and segment weirs consist of two main elements vertically movable relative to each other, r of a single main element provided with an auxiliary extension member. Such weirs permit precise control of water flow over the top of the Weir which is desirable from the point of view of hydraulic theory and advantageous in actual practice. Weirs with a one piece gate structure which can only control the water ow under the gate are unsatisfactory because of the unavoidable erosion of the bottom part of the weir and of the Iadjoining parts of the water channel. v

The control range of divided gate structures or of gate structures provided with extensions is limited for reasons of structural strengthl andr of hydraulic performance so that the control of water iiowexceeding a certain rate requires the entire gate structure of conventional panel gate or segment weirs to be raised with the upper part of a two-panel structure or the extensions fully retracted.

It is an object of this invention to provide a weir which is simple in design and which permits control over a wide range of flow rate while the main parts of the gate structure remain stationary.

Specific embodiments of this invention are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 is a sectional side-elevational view of a panel gate Weir of the invention; FIG. 2 is a similar view of a segment weir of the invention; FIG. 3, a sectional side-elevational view of another panel weir; and FIG. 4 shows the weir of FIG. 3 in fragmentary sectional plan view on the line IV--IV in FIG. 3.

Referring initially to FIG. l the gate structure of the weir' illustrated has three portions. A main portion oonsists of a box shaped hollow supporting member 1, a front wall member 2 on the upstream side and a rear. wall 3 on the downstream side of the supporting member. The front and rear wall members are fastened to the supporting member 1 by supporting and reinforcing ribs 4 and 5 respectively, so that the main portion of the gate has a cross section substantially of the shape of the letter H and defines an upper chamber 7 and a lower chamber 9. An upper segment shaped extension gate 6 is supported pivotally on the top edge of the rear wall member 3 by I hinges 8 and can be lowered substantially completely into the chamber 7 as indicated by broken lines. segment shaped extension gate 10 pivots on hinges 11 on the bottom edge of the rear wall member 3 and can enter the chamber 9. The outward faces of front wall 2 and the rear wall 3 may be either plane or elements of a cylindrical surface. The extension gates 6 and 10 may be supported by hinges either on the upstream or downstream side of the main gate portion, that is, either on the front wall member 2 or on the rear wall member 3 without deviating from the scope of this invention. The hinges 8 and 11 are generally mounted on portions of the wall members reinforced by the ribs 5 or 4. The extension gates 6 and 10 are relatively stiff bodies of triangular cross section bounded by two cylindrical walls and one flat wall. They may be supported only by hinges on both lateral ends of the main gate portion near the piers 29. A reinforced apron 12 is fixed at each end to the main A similar tect and seal a vertical guide slot 13 in the pier.

portion of the gate structure close to the piers 29 to pro- The forces acting upon the gate structure are transmitted to Ithe pier 29 by brackets 14 which vertically project from the box shaped supporting mem-ber 1 and are provided on both ends of the member 1. The brackets 14 are movable within the slots 13 and support roller assemblies 15 which abut against rails 16 on the downstream side. Guide rollers 17 on the upstream side precisely position the entire gate structure. Y

A more detailed view of the last-described features is seen in FIG. 4 which shows a cross section taken on the lines IV-IV in FIG. 3, and relates to a weir very similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1. The box shaped supporting member 1 extends into the slot 13, and occupies the entire cross section thereof while the vertical brackets 14 on the box shaped member 1 extend from this member upwards and downwards and enter only a part of the slot near the upstream side, leaving a part of the space of the slot 13 free for movement of the roller assemblies 15. The latter are connected to the brackets 14 by means of cylindrical spacers 31 with spherical contact surfaces mounted on bolts 30. The spacers 31 permit limited lateral play of the roller assemblies 15 in the case of temperature changes.

Reverting to FIG, l, a bolt 18 is seen to be fixed on each side to the bottom edge of the upper extension gate 6 adjacent the pier 29, and a similar bolt 19 is xed to the upper edge of the lower extension gate 10. These bolts 18, 19 pass through arcuate apertures in the aprons 12 into the slots 13 where roller chains 22 and 22 are respectively fixed to the bolts. The chain 22 of the lower extension gate 10 is guided over a roller '23 on the lateral portion of the main supporting member 1 which extends into the slot 13.

In FIG. 2 there is shown an embodiment of the invention basically similar to that illustrated in FIG. l, and like reference numerals indicate corresponding elements. The water pressure acting upon the main supporting member 1 and on the front wall member 2 is transmitted to the piers 29 by arms 24 which connect the member 1 to hinges 25 supported by the piers 29. The main gate portion together with the retractable extension gates 10 and 6 and the apron 12 can be turned like a segment weir on the hinges 25 to a position above the water level.

A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in side elevational and plan section respectively. A rear wall is not used and the extension gates 6 and 10" are supported solely by the ribs 5. The extension gates 6', 10 have segmental cylindrical face walls supported on struts hinged to the hinges 8 and 11 respectively. Otherwise the weir of FIG. 3 is similar to that of FIG. l.

The weir of FIG. l operates as follows:

When it is desired to increase the water ilow, the upper extension gate `6 is lowered by means of the chain 22 so as to enter the space 7 of the main gate portion, where it is in a hydraulically favorable position and permits the water to iiow over its cyclindrical rear wall. For a further increase of the water ow, the lower extension gate 10 can be retracted by the chain 22' to open an additional path for the water below the main gate portion while the latter still remains in place. The chain 22' is guided over the guide rollers 23 on, the main gate portion. After the bolts 19 of the lower extension gate reach the end of the corresponding aperature in the apron 12, the continued pull of the chain 22' causes the entire gate structure to be raised fully opening the way for the passing water. It is also possible to control movements of both extension gates by a single chain using an auxiliary movable chain wheel. The driving means for such a chain are preferably placed on the piers 29.

The weirs of FIGS. 2 and 3 operate in an analogous manner. In all embodiments illustrated, water flow is controlled at the lowest ow rate by means of the upper extension gate, thereafter by means of the lower extension gate, and only finally by raising the entire gate structure. The main gate structure remains thus stationary unless extremely large amounts of water have to pass, while known structures have to be raised already at relatively low flow rates. The gate structure of the invention is very sturdy, simple, and easily accessible so that maintenance opertions and repairs can be easily performed. The enclosed space in the supporting member of the main gate portion is easily heated in winter. The time required for operating the gate is very short because of its simple function` I claim:

1. A Weir gate comprising a central portion having a vertically extending Wall; an upper and a lower extension portion, each including a cylindrically curved wall member and being mounted on said central portion for pivoting movement about the axis of curvature of the respective wall member between a position in which said wall member projects from said wall in a vertical direction, and another position in which said Wall member is horizontally aligned with a portion of said wall.

2. A Weir gate comprising a central portion including a vertically extending wall having an upper and a lower horizontally extending edge; two pivot means on said central portion, each having an axis spacedly parallel to a respective one of said edges; and a wall member mounted on each pivot means and spaced from the axis of the corresponding pivot means in la direction toward said wall, said wall member being curved about the axis of the corresponding pivot means and movable thereabout Ibetween a position in which said Wall member projects ertically beyond said edge and another position in 4which said wall member is retracted behind said vertically' extending wall.

3. A Weir gate comprising a central body having a top face and a bottom face each formed with a recess therein, and a Wall vertically extending between said faces; and two curved wall members each mounted on a respective one of said faces for pivoting movement Iabout the axis of curvature thereof between a position in which said wall member vertically projects from said one face, and another position in which said wall member is retracted mito the recess of said face.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,922,097 Kersting Aug. l5, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS 139,897 Austria Dec. 27, 1934 859,273 Germany Dec. 11, 1952 

3. A WEIR GATE COMPRISING A CENTRAL BODY HAVING A TOP FACE AND A BOTTOM FACE EACH FORMED WITH A RECESS THEREIN, AND A WALL VERTICALLY EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FACES; AND TWO CURVED WALL MEMBERS EACH MOUNTED ON A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID FACES FOR PIVOTING MOVEMENT ABOUT THE AXIS OF CURVATURE THEREOF BETWEEN A POSITION IN WHICH SAID WALL MEMBER VERTICALLY PROJECTS FROM SAID ONE FACE, AND ANOTHER POSITION IN WHICH SAID WALL MEMBER IS RETRACTED INTO THE RECESS OF SAID FACE. 